Connecter



July 13, 1937. w. e. FbTscH CONNECTER Filed Aug. 4, 1934 I ZUiZZz'czm G. ZZZ C/L v Patented July 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs CONNECTER William G. Fotsch, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Beliable Electric 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 4, 1934, Serial No. 738,471

6 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical connecters and more particularly to a connecter adapted for clamping two electrical conductors together, for example, where it is desired to connect a branch 5 line to a main line conductor.

In devices of this character, it is particularly advantageous to have a connecter that consists of only one piece so that the workmen do not have difilculty in assembling two or more ele-.

may be made up of stampings so as to reduce' 20 the cost of the clamp without sacrificing any of its advantages.

My, invention further contemplates provision of a clamp of this character in which the clamp can be positioned on an unbroken conductor and 25 aligned with the conductor to receive a tap or branch conductor with a single motion.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying 30 drawing wherein the preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing and descriptionare illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited 35 by the claims.

In the, drawing- Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the connecter in position clamping a tap or branch conductor to a'main line conductor; 7 40 Fig. 2' is a plan view looking up at Fig. -1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 1, but showing the manner in which the conductor enters the clamp; 5 Fig. 5 is an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 4.

Referringnow in detail'to the drawing, the

connecter is made up of a shell piece 5, a slotted or U-shaped support 6 for the wire, and the 50 clamping screw I. The clamping screw 1 screwthreads into the top of the'shell 5 and is swivelled to the wire support 6 so that the three elementscannot become separated, and they thus form a 'substantiallybne-piece connecter. The

5 shell 5 is preferably stamped from sheet metal of the requisite thicknessand has the lips a and 9 at opposite sides thereof which form rests for supporting and strengthening elements for receiving the line conductors l and for providing spaced supports therefor.

The wire support 6 is made up from a partly round strip which, in cross section, is of the shape indicated at 5a, in Fig. 2. This strip is bent to U-shape as shown best in Fig. 3 and is slightly flattened at the base as indicated at H 10 to form a bearing for the squared end l2 of the screw 1. The screw 1 is provided with an extension l3 which passes through an opening in the base of the wire support 6 and is flattened in the countersunk portion I4 so as to permanently connect the members 6 and I together so that 1' may rotate with respect to 6. The shell 5 is cut from the open end to provide the opposed curved. walls at l5 and I6 through which the unbroken conductor Ill can be inserted, it

being understood that there are two of the passages directly opposite each other defined bythe edges suchas l5 and I6.

This construction provldesa pair of oppositely directed hook portions l1 and I8 which are reenforced by the portions Sand 9 toform spaced supports receiving the conductors Hi.

-When the conductor I0 is inserted, it is inthe position shown in Fig.4 with respect to the clamp, and it is evident that, by merely pushing the conductor Ill into the clamp, the shell 5 must turn with respect to the conductor so that it revolves about one-fourth of a complete tur-n. The-conductor Ill is then positioned across the two hook portions l1 and I8 in position to have the branch line conductor 20 inserted through the shell and the wire supporting memher 6 over it. After that, it is only necessary to turn the screw 1 to force the wire support 6 down, and the two wires are clamped tightly to- 40 gether between the spaced supports l1 and I8 on one side and the base of the member 6 on the other side.

This is a particularly good clamping action as it is mechanically strong due toxthe tendency to 5- bend orkink the conductors between the three points of pressure, and. the conductors are in contact over a considerablelimit so as to give a good electrical connection. I I

In assembling these connecters, the screw 1 is 5 turned back to the full of its movement away from the hooks l1 and I8, and, in this position, the U-shaped wire support 6 is turned to the poi sition shown in Fig. 4, that is, so that th slot through the member 6 is at right angles to its 111- timate position when the wire I0 is seated on the hooks I? and I8. With the screw l tightened in this position, the wire support 6 will remain there so that the mouth of the connecter is open to directly receive the main line conductor I9, and the camming action of the edges l5 and I6, particularly the edges IE, will turn the wire support with the wire I0 relative to the shell 5 and thus properly align the wire support to receive the branch wire 20 and at the same time loosens the screw 1 since the member 6 turns in the direction to advance this screw. The shell is preferably cut out as indicated at 2| and 22 to provide a small receiving notch for the wire 20.

When the connecter is tightened on the two wires l0 and 20, it is substantially locked in assembled position since the bottom wire cannot rotate in the hooks I1 and I8, and, in addition, the slight spring or bend imparted to the wire acts after the fashion of a lock spring to prevent the turning of the screw 1. i

The U-shaped wire support also performs an important function where one or both of the conductors being clamped together-may be of the stranded wire type. With such conductors, the strands tend to open or spread apart when pressure is applied. The wire support, which supplies the pressure in this clamp, holds the strands at the sides and thus prevents their spreading.

From the above description, it is believed that the construction and operation of this device will be clear to those, skilled in this art and the advantages thereof readily apparent.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A connecter of the character described, having a cup-like shell, opposed slots in the wall of said shell to receive a conductor placed transversely of said shell, said slots being directed from the open end of the' shell towards the other end thereof and spirally about the shell, and at their inner ends having portions extending toward the open end of the shell to seat a conductor inserted therein, and a U-shaped support telescoping with said shell and secured thereto, said support being adjustable endwise relative to the shell to clamp conductors, wires, cables or the like therebetween.

2. A connecter of the character described, consisting of a shell, opposed slots in the Wall of said shell to receive a conductor, wire, cable or the like, placed transversely of said shell, said slots being directed from the open end of the shell toward the other end thereof and. spirally about the shell, and having extending end portions directed to receive and seat a conductor, wire, cable, or the like, and a U-shaped jaw telescoping with said shell and secured thereto by means adapted to move said jaw longitudinally of said shell.

3. A connecter of the character described, consisting of a cup shaped shell, slots directed from the open end of said shell to receive a conductor, wire, cable, or the like placed therein, the edge portions of said slots forming a seat for said conductor, receiving and fastening means for a second conductor connecting said second conductor to said first conductonsaid receiving and fastening means consisting of a slotted support telescoping said shell and rotatable in said shell to align the slot therein with the conductor seats in said shell and adjustable endwise of said shell to clamp said conductors, wires, cables, or the like therebetween and means for adjusting said support endwise of said shell.

4. A connecter consisting of a body having therein a pair of opposed elongated slots for holding a conductor or a plurality of conductors in parallel relation, said body having oppositely located conductor guide slots extending from one end of said body into the sides of said holding slots, and a clamping member rotatable in said body to align it with said holding slots, and adjustable endwise of said body to clamp conductors tightly in said holding slots, means to adjust said clamping member endwise of said body while it is aligned with said holding slots, said clamping member having side portions to engage the conductors and prevent their spreading between the holding slots.

5..A connecter consisting of a body having therein a pair of opposed elongated slots for holding a conductor or a plurality of conductors .in parallel relation, said body having oppositely located conductor guide slots extending from one end of said body into the sides of said holding slots, and a clamping member rotatable insaid body to align it with said holding slots, and adjustable endwise of said body to clamp conductors tightly in said holding slots, means to adjust said clamping member endwise of said'body while it is aligned with said holding slots, said clamping member having means to close said guide slots when it is clamped against conductors in said holding slots.

6. A connecter of the character described comprising an outer shell having one end open, said shell having slots extending into the walls thereof from said open end to receive a conductor placed transversely of said shell, an inner support having a seat for said conductor, said inner support being rotatably mounted and adjustable axially in said shell, means to adjust said support axially in said shell, and seating means in the wall of said shell for -said conductor consisting of oppositely directed hook shaped portions in the edges of the slots in said shell.

\ WILLIAM G. FOTSCH. 

